King Tempo

[Amconk]

I just bought a Vintage King Tempo through DJ Kennedy, it’s the old style with nickel bell and curved hand brace. Vintage 3 piece counterweight. Serial places it around 1965.

Hot cheese on a cracker, this thing sings. I love it! I would put this thing at or above any 2B I’ve ever played. It slots well, screams in the high register, and flows through ballad style work.

Any other Tempo lovers here?

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[Vegastokc]

Hot cheese on a cracker...

Thanks for posting your impressions.
As a fan of King's I have been wanting one of these for a while, but every time they come up for sale (ebay, facebook, etc) they go fast and usually out of my budget.
I think these are one of those really nice not-so-hidden gems.
As soon as I can get one I will try to remember to find this post again so we can nerd out some more.

[Klimchak]

I really like the 1306 Nickel-belled Tempos (tempi?). These are .500" bore with an 8" bell that mates up with 3B slides. They also have the curved brace. Great for hard Latin music and loud rock gigs.

[Kingfan]

I like'em! There is a 1506 Super Tempo for sale in Alliance, Ohio for $75. If it was closer, and I didn't already have a 2B, I would be all over it.

[hyperbolica]

I really like the 1306 Nickel-belled Tempos (tempi?). These are .500" bore with an 8" bell that mates up with 3B slides. They also have the curved brace. Great for hard Latin music and loud rock gigs.

Thanks for that tip. I've been looking for a 500/508 hybrid horn, and I love nickel bells. The 48h with a Getzen 3508 or 1050 slide seems to be another option I've learned here.

[dukesboneman]

I have a Tempo bell on my 2B Valve section. Love the way it plays and sounds

[Fruitysloth]

DJ set me up with a Tempo because I asked for something that would peel the paint off the walls. I love mine! The slide is just a bit too narrow, but I make it work because I love how it is!

[shankbone]

I know this is an old post, but wanted to also geek out about my King Tempo.

I bought mine back in 1980 from another trombone player in my high school. He actually damaged my trombone, and felt guilty about it. He sold me his King Tempo. It was in pretty good shape, and played great. I paid him $75 for it back then. Over the years I took it out from time to time, but it was having some slide issues.

I bought a Yamaha YSL-356R about 5 years ago. I wanted to get back into playing regularly, and knew my old King wasn't up for the challenge. I've been playing in a local concert band for the past 4 years, except for a long pandemic break. We started back up over the summer. Recently I decided to take the King in for repairs and a good cleaning. The slide feels great again. I started our new season in our local concert band last week playing the King, and I LOVE IT! It's like finding an good friend you haven't seen in a while.

[bellend]

Are these actual Nickel bells ? or ( more likely) they are Nickel plated brass?

Just sayin'

BellEnd

[Matt K]

My understanding is a heavyweight, nickel plated brass bell.

[Kingfan]

I like'em! There is a 1506 Super Tempo for sale in Alliance, Ohio for $75. If it was closer, and I didn't already have a 2B, I would be all over it.

I live nearby. What site is it listed on?

[bassclef]

I like'em! There is a 1506 Super Tempo for sale in Alliance, Ohio for $75. If it was closer, and I didn't already have a 2B, I would be all over it.

I live nearby. What site is it listed on?

LOL did you just ask your 2020 self a question?

[bassclef]

I have one of the sliver plated 1306's. Played it for a few years straight during my ska band days in the late 1990's. I have never played another trombone which even comes close in terms of raw projecting volume. I picked it up to use instead of the '61 3B I had at the time in the high-risk situations I was found in while touring in a van and playing all sorts of "venues". The volume capacity turned out to be a huge asset because I was often working without a mic against mic'd drums and guitar amps. This isn't to say that it didn't require a lot of effort, but I never had trouble cutting through. Other horns would back up and kind of fold before the point to where I was trying to push them. The 1306 took all I could give and turned it into sound. I don't know why or how, but that's the only horn I could do that with.

[Kingfan]

I live nearby. What site is it listed on?

LOL did you just ask your 2020 self a question?

Deja vu all over again... I just found a nickel Tempo on a site called Junkum for $71 shipped. If it is too good to be true, it probably is...

[Finetales]

I've been somewhat on the hunt for a 1306 Tempo for a few years now, for exactly the reasons outlined in bassclef's post...my '70s 3Bs are stupid loud but on rock and salsa gigs something even more incendiary would be very welcome.

But I also have a 3B, a 3BF, and a 607, and I still need to get a nice 6H, so my allocated 1306 fund is not large.

I just found a nickel Tempo on a site called Junkum for $71 shipped. If it is too good to be true, it probably is...

A quick Google shows that Junkum is not a site you should be gambling with. A legitimate $71 Tempo on eBay/Facebook/Craigslist isn't far-fetched, though.

[Matt K]

I'm selling my King tempo bell section. If you can't find my ad, send me a PM and I can dig it up with pictures. My price is fiexbile and I'm open to trades.

[brassmedic]

Are these actual Nickel bells ? or ( more likely) they are Nickel plated brass?

Just sayin'

BellEnd

NIckel plated.

[Macbone1]

Yes, King Tempos can be real "sleepers", just like Holton Galaxies. Paint peelers one and all. I have a Tempo bell section for my King 2B Jiggs because the Jiggs can't hold up to any mute action without getting a dent rash. Feels and sounds good, but probably even better with a Tempo slide on it.

[BaronVonBone]

.
How compatible are Tempo and 606 parts (if at all)?

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Never Mind:
viewtopic.php?p=172996#p172996

Actually, I'd still like to know if this just means either can use the other's slide, or if individual parts (outers/inners, tuning slides, etc) are also compatible.